Trapped In My Own Fantasy
by Queen Madisyn of Narnia
Summary: Paige Mallory is a Phantom of the Opera phangirl. But when she is thrown into the story, is everything the way it seems on the screen? E/OC. Some scenes may be rated M, not sure yet.
1. Chapter 1

Brace yourself, reader. You're venturing into unknown territory. You thought you knew Erik, Christine, Raoul, their hearts, minds, but do you really? Have you ever experienced life like theirs?

In reality, you know you haven't. But you don't like reality. Frankly, neither do I. Reality is cold, cruel, unfair, the works. But we have to face reality in order to see past its roadblocks to imagination and dreams, don't we?

My name is Paige Mallory. I'm a Phantom of the Opera fanatic, much like you. Yes, I know you're a fanatic. Otherwise, you wouldn't be reading this, would you?

If you dislike abuse, cruelty, hatred towards others, and such things like it, I beg you not to read further. I don't want to read any hateful reviews. And, if you don't believe that a normal girl like me can be transported into an alternate reality, then, reader, please do go away. Don't leave rude, unkind reviews. Why don't you save me the trouble of explaining a laptop in the 1870's and not review at all?

This is the story of how I got tangled up in the Phantom of the Opera, movie version, of course. My favorite, and I happened to be watching it at the time. On You Tube, of course, since I hadn't acquired it on DVD yet.

At first, when I realized that I had been thrown into the story, I thanked my rarely lucky stars that I could finally meet my hero, Erik.

Then I realized that not only Christine was here, but she had been receiving lessons from the supposed "Angel of Music", and Hannibal was to be performed in three days. Everybody was under the impression that I was a ballet dancer, new to the company, and would join in performances during Il Muto.

It was then that I realized that no information obtained by obsession with the movie would prepare me for what was about to take place.

My own personal rendition of Phantom of the Opera, you might say.

But would it end well? Would it have a happy ending?

I had yet to find out that happy endings don't come easily.


	2. Chapter 2

It was late May, the last day of school. I was grateful, as were my friends. My best friends- Kelly, Alexis, Marisa, Cadence, and Madeline- were coming over for a celebratory sleepover.

"Please tell me we're not watching _Chitty Chitty Bang Bang_," Kelly pleaded during English, remembering how my little sister made us endure it at my last sleepover.

"Relax. The answer is no," I assured her. "You and Alexis can watch _New Moon _on the flat screen. The rest and I are watching _Phantom of the Opera_ on the laptop."

"Paige! You've seen that movie, what, a billion times?" she inquired.

"It gets better every time," I said with a smirk Erik would be proud of.

"You probably know every line to every song and every scene," she sighed.

"I can say the same for you and _New Moon_," I fired back, laughing.

Kelly, defeated, slumped into her chair. I grinned with obvious pleasure at my triumph.

Marisa was late that day. She slung her backpack across her seat, turning to face the rest of the group. "Hey, guys."

"Thought you weren't going to make it," Alexis said with a hint of concern.

"I'm fine," Marisa said, smiling. "Missed the bus, you know how that goes."

The rest of us nodded, turning our attention to the teacher.

The half day of school seemed to move in slow motion. When the day was finally over, I rode the bus home with Kelly, Marisa, and Madeline. Cadence and Alexis were coming over later.

"Can you believe it?" Madeline asked. "We're no longer ninth graders! Next year, we are official tenth graders."

"I'm all for that," Kelly agreed. I nodded my conformation.

Once at my house, the three of us set up the air mattresses, DVD player, _The Phantom of the _Opera on You Tube, and set out popcorn, soda, and hot chocolate.

"Perfect," Kelly said.

"_Parfait_," I agreed in French.

She shook her head, muttering, "You are so obsessed."

"_Est-ce je_?" I asked.

"Madeline?" she asked, seeking a translation.

"Aren't I?" Madeline offered.

"Yes," Kelly said. "You are very obsessed."

Thankfully, the doorbell rang when I began thinking of a comeback.

"_Je vais être arrière droite_," I said over my shoulder, jogging to the door. Kelly looked at Madeline expectantly. She translated, "I'll be right back."

French was handy a lot. It was a good thing my ancestors were French, so that my grandparents insisted I learned it fluently. This ability would prove useful. You'll see.

"Hey, guys," I greeted, opening the door for Cadence and Alexis. "You're early."

"We know," Cadence said.

"Dad has a football game to go to tonight. So Cadence's mom had to drive us, and early, because she has a hair stylist appointment in ten minutes," Alexis explained.

"I see," I said, motioning for them to proceed to the living room.

That night, my mom ordered Little Caesar's pizza for us. Alexis and Kelly then watched _New Moon_, while the rest of us watched _The Phantom of the Opera _on You Tube.

"Gerard is so hot," Cadence said dreamily during _The Music of the Night_.

"Isn't he?" I said, agreeing. "I wish I could meet him."

"The Phantom, or Gerard?"

"Both, I guess."

"Well, isn't it your lucky time!" Cadence said, pointing to the large digital clock mounted to the wall. "It's eleven- ten. In one minute, you can wish you could meet him. Maybe it'll work."

"I hope so," I muttered as the digital clock flashed eleven- eleven.

I wished hard, thinking, _I wish I could meet the Phantom of the Opera, not as in, he came here, but as in, I went there. His fate is cruel, and he doesn't deserve it. So let me change his future, 'kay?_

"I think we all wished for the same thing," Marisa said.

"Trust me," Cadence said. "I know we did."


	3. Chapter 3

***I thought I told you that you **_**shouldn't **_**read this. Oh, well. Suit yourself, reader.**

I woke up suddenly in the middle of the night. We had just finished watching _The Phantom of the Opera_ in the den, and were asleep in the living room. The digital clock on the wall read three fifteen. In the morning, of course.

I sat up straight, only to find Cadence, Marisa, and Madeline also awake.

"Did you hear that?" Madeline asked, her voice sounding a bit worried.

"Hear what?" I asked in return.

"We heard a squeaking noise, then footsteps. We went to check it out, but there was no one there," Marisa said.

"That's strange," I said.

I froze in place. "Listen," I whispered.

The room fell into an eerie silence. Then, out of nowhere, a door, wooden, I guessed, by the sound, creaked open, and there were footsteps as it closed.

"There it is again!" Marisa whispered urgently.

I motioned for her to be quiet. Silently, I stood up, rounded the corner leading to the hallway containing the bedrooms, and stopped.

The creak had to have come from a wooden door, an old one. All our doors were new. Another thing I noticed- the footsteps were not of bare feet, but of someone wearing shoes. Not a women's high heels, but like a man's dress shoes.

"That's odd," I whispered as I sat back down on my air mattress.

"Did you find anything?" Cadence asked.

"No," I said. I glanced up at the clock, my eyes going wide.

The clock's numbers were moving frantically, switching from number to number before cracking in half and fell to the floor with a loud clatter.

"Okay," I announced. "Now I'm scared."

But that wasn't the worst. Where the clock had been, a window appeared.

"What the…" Madeline trailed off, not knowing what to think.

"Should we check it out?" I asked.

"Well," Cadence said. "I'm fully convinced this is a dream, so why not?"

The four of us stood up, being careful not to wake up Alexis and Kelly. Marisa slid the window open, which squeaked and shuttered before popping off the window.

"Wonderful," I said as I sat on the windowsill. "I'm going in."

"Are you crazy?" Cadence asked, trying to pull me off. "If you're going, so am I."

"And I," Marisa agreed.

"Me, too!" Madeline added quickly.

"Fine," I said. I turned around on the windowsill, sliding through.

I landed on a stone floor. The air was damp and musty, not to mention cold. The smell of lake water drifted from the left side of the hallway I stood in. As I entered, both sides of the hall were lit up by hundreds of candelabras flaming to life.

One by one, the others slid in as well. It took us a while to regain our logic and train of thought.

"You don't think…?" Marisa let her question hang in the air.

"That this has something to do with wishing to come here at eleven eleven?" Cadence finished. "I didn't think anything would happen, but now…" She gestured to the hallway around us. "Now I think differently."

"If anything," I said, "we need to get out of here. You recognize this place?"

"Oh my gosh!" Madeline exclaimed. "This is the hallway The Phantom led Christine down in the movie!"

"And I don't think we're going to be greeted very happily by him," I said. "So I suggest we leave. Find Christine or somebody." I paused, thinking. "I wouldn't be surprised if he could hear us now. Secret passageways, being able to seem nearly invisible in broad daylight, you know?"

The others agreed immediately, walking down the right side of the hall to what appeared to be someone's mirror.

I spared a glance behind me. For a moment, I considered entering the Phantom's lair. Luckily, I wasn't that stupid. So I didn't.

In that glance behind, I saw the candelabras light die out in a ferocious gust of wind. Turning around quickly, I could've sworn I heard a man's dark laugh.


	4. Chapter 4

Leaving the strange hallway, the four of us were confronted by a concerned ballet mistress. It took a while to explain to Madame Giry what happened to us. She, for some unbelievably strange reason, seemed to believe in time travel.

"It has happened," she said in her thick French accent. "With a girl named Melody, several months ago. Claimed to be from the year 1945. But she moved to England on account of an opera in need of a lead soprano. Carlotta refused to go."

"May we stay here?" I asked sheepishly. "We honestly have nowhere to go, and I'm not sure I want to go back the way we came."

"If it helps," Marisa threw in, "Cadence and I are ballet dancers. But Madeline and Paige, they've got voices, let me tell you."

Madame Giry smiled. "Then you can replace the two ballet dancers and two chorus girls that-" Here she gave us an inquisitive look "- magically disappeared last night."

I smiled, wondering how in the world I'd survive this strange place.

The four of us quickly befriended the other dancers and chorus girls, including Meg and Christine. Rehearsals for Hannibal had already begun, and the new owners, Monsieur Firmin and Monsieur Andre, were perfectly lenient on letting us sit out the first production of the opera.

The Opera Ghost, however, was not.

After Carlotta was knocked over by a backdrop and replaced by Christine (which us four knew about since who knows when), the note left by the Phantom contained something that wasn't in the movie.

"He welcomes you to his opera house," Madame Giry read, ignoring the owners' outbursts. "He instructs that Box 5 is to be left empty for his use, and his salary of twenty thousand francs is due."

I smiled. The Opera Ghost was pretty amusing to me, yet frightening to others.

"He also says," Madame Giry added, "that the four missing chorus girls and dancers must be replaced by the new girls immediately."

"But could they possibly learn an entire opera's worth of singing and dancing in one day?" Firmin asked, outraged.

"That is not possible," Madame Giry confirmed, sending a pointed glance to the rafters, where I assumed the Opera Ghost was hidden.

The Phantom must have caught the look, because there were no more notes or disasters after we were allowed to sit out.

That night's performance of Hannibal was beautiful. Christine's singing brought me to think, _Wake up, Paige! As long as you're here, shouldn't you lead Christine away from the Phantom? For both Christine _and _the Phantom's own good. You really only have tonight, so convince her to go to supper with Raoul! And don't even _think_ about the consequences, you ninny!_

So when I felt a chill on the back of my neck and heard my name said softly, almost inaudibly, then a voice telling me to stay away from the catacombs and not to interfere with Christine's lessons, right in the middle of Christine's song, it wasn't exactly reassuring. Far from it, to be honest.

So I didn't respond, only so I wouldn't be breaking any promises when I stole Christine from him.

That night, after the show, I caught Raoul entering Christine's dressing room with a bouquet of flowers. I smiled, returning to my conversation with Marisa, Madeline, and Cadence.

"Did the Phantom talk to any of you?" Cadence asked. We all nodded.

"Something about staying out of the catacombs and not interfering with Christine's lessons," Marisa said.

"Me, too," I agreed. But I didn't mention my plans.

"Why would anyone go looking for him?" Marisa asked. They all stared at me.

"Hey," I lied. "Just because I'm his biggest fan, doesn't mean I'm stupid enough to get myself killed."

Madeline and Cadence laughed, Marisa gave me a look that said, _We're talking about this later_.

Walking back the way we came, I heard the voice. This time, it said,

"Biggest fan, hmm?"

I walked faster.

"No, Raoul, wait!" Christine said, scared.

Raoul chuckled, closing the door. Before the Phantom could lock her in, I slipped inside the wooden door leading to Christine's dressing room.

"_Merde_," I heard the Phantom hiss. I tried not to seem scared.

"Hello, Christine," I greeted awkwardly. "You did great out there."

"Thank you," she said. She looked down at the rose with a black ribbon tied around it, which sat in her lap.

"Listen, Christine," I said in a whisper. "I think you should stay away from your angel of music for a while."

She looked at me quizzically. I explained how I "knew the future", which wasn't an entire lie, and my encounter with the Phantom during Hannibal.

"So that's why he won't show himself to me," Christine mused. I nodded.

"I know he'll be pretty angry at me," I said. "But I had to tell you. He wouldn't have let you go. Besides, you need a chance with Raoul."

Christine blushed, looking at her rose once again. I smiled.

"You should go out to eat with him, like he offered," I told her. She didn't bother asking how I knew that.

"Thank you," she said. "And I hope the Opera Ghost has mercy on you."

With that, Christine and I left her dressing room.

I headed toward the ballet dormitories as fast as possible without making much noise. Behind me, I heard a cry of fury and anger.

The Phantom was mad.

_Very _mad.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day was very tense, at least for me. I was just _waiting _for the Phantom to jump out and Punjab lasso me.

After the first rehearsal of Il Muto, Marisa pulled me into Box 9, which, luckily, the Phantom had no access to.

"Paige," she said. "You've been acting really buggy lately." Marisa paused. "Is it because of the Phantom?"

I nodded, explaining everything that happened.

"_Paige_! You _idiot_!" she exclaimed when I was done.

"You're not the only one that thinks that, I'm sure," I said, gesturing at the rafters. "I swear, he's been out to get me all day, ever since I left Christine's dressing room last night. I'm just _waiting _for him to kill me."

Marisa nodded, agreeing.

"You need to be really careful, Paige," she advised. "One of us has to accompany you everywhere."

"And how is that going to stop the Phantom from killing me?" I asked.

Marisa had no answer.

~0~0~0~0~0~

I awoke at midnight that night, no thanks to the frosty breeze entering from the dormitory window. I stood up, walking over to the window to close it, when a hand grabbed my shoulder.

I froze. Turning around slowly, I saw _him_.

The Phantom of the Opera. The man who wanted me dead, or at least gone.

Before I could scream, he clamped a gloved hand over my mouth. He pulled me out the door, and through a stone door I'd never noticed until then.

It was the same hallway I'd come to the opera from. The candelabras flared to life as I was dragged past them.

"Why have you brought me here?" I asked softly, flinching as he turned to me, forcing me against the wall with both hands. Anger flashed in his golden eyes, leaving me wishing I had shut up and not said anything.

"Why, you ask? Let me see, you first _lie _to my Christine about being able to see the future, might I add that it was the worst lie I'd _ever _heard, and I don't understand why she believed you, secondly, you _take her away from me_, and, thirdly, you set her up with the Viscount de Chagny," he fumed. "Is _that _enough of a reason?"

I nodded quickly, hoping he waited until much later to kill me. Much, _much _later.

He continued to trek through the dark corridors, gripping my wrist with such force that I was afraid he'd break it, which was probably the least of my worries at the moment.

He basically threw me into the gondola, stepping in after me and rowing silently and angrily. I was afraid he'd break the paddle.

"I still don't understand why I'm here," I muttered to myself. "So you hate me, probably want to kill me, but why down here? Isn't any place as good as another?"

"Who said I was going to kill you?" the Phantom spat.

I almost sighed in relief.

Almost.

"So," I said, "If you're not going to kill me, what _are _you going to do?"

I turned to look at him. I regretted it. His eyes were full of unspent anger and fury.

"What am I going to do?" he asked. "You tell me."

"Let me live?" I whispered timidly. "Let me go?"

The Phantom laughed darkly. "Let you _go_? I'll let you live, but I never let anyone _go_. No one escapes the Phantom of the Opera."

_I wouldn't be so sure,_ I thought. _Christine did it in the movie. You even _let _her._

When we reached his home, the Phantom stepped out of the gondola. He turned to me, offering his hand to help me out. I searched his eyes for the overflowing anger there was before, finding none.

I took his hand reluctantly, my uncertainty obvious.

The Opera Ghost sighed. "I'm not going to hurt you," he assured me.

He led me to his swan bed, which I recognized from the movie.

"Go ahead and make yourself comfortable," he said quietly, closing the velvet curtains and leaving me to my suspicions.

Apparantly the Phantom simply kidnapped to kidnap, and I could tell he had no intentions of hurting me. I'd see it in his eyes if he did.

Another thing I'd noticed- his emotions flickered from good to bad almost instantly. I'd have to be careful with what I said and did, to avoid his Punjab lasso.

Not even bothering to put on a nightgown from the chest of clothing he'd put inside the room, I fell to the bed, engulfed myself in the silky sheets, and fell into a dreamless, peaceful sleep.

~0~0~0~0~0~

**Phantom POV:**

I was tired. I had been playing my music from _Don Juan Triumphant_, my latest work of art, and it was getting late.

My eyes flickered instinctively to the grandfather clock in the corner. Midnight.

I realized then that the girl was inside, probably asleep, in my room.

I smiled to myself, unlocking one of the spare rooms and pulling the divan inside to sleep on. I was smiling at the fact that I referred to her as 'the girl'; I'd kidnapped her, scared her to death by my instant-change emotions, and I didn't even know her name.

No! What are you talking about! You hate her! She took Christine away from you, why do you care what her name is? Stop it right now, Erik!

I leaned against the divan, my thoughts as jumbled as ever, and fell asleep confused at my own mind.


	6. Chapter 6

I awoke the next morning to the smell of lake water, roses, and French pastries. It was then that I remembered my kidnapping last night.

Poor Marisa, poor Cadence, Madeline, Meg, Christine, Madame Giry…

Well, not exactly Madame Giry. She'd know where I was, maybe even demand my release. But would the Phantom listen to her? Would the Phantom listen to _anyone_?

I considered staying in the Phantom's room. Tentatively, I parted the curtains and stepped outside.

The Phantom was sitting at his organ. He noticed that I entered by tensing, but did not turn.

"Hello…" I murmured.

Finally, the Phantom turned to face me.

"Hello," he returned. "May I ask of your name?"

"M-my name?" I stuttered, caught by surprise with his request.

"Yes," he chuckled.

"Paige," I said softly.

"Paige…" I loved the way he said my name. What was wrong with me?

"People always tease me about it," I said. "Like I'm a piece of paper or something. A Paige of paper, that was my nickname for a while. And the fact that I love to read doesn't help. 'Paige of a book', they call me these days."

The Phantom laughed. "You know how to read?" he asked.

Crap. I forgot that girls don't go to school in this time period! "My father taught me," I explained. "He was always telling me stories, and finally said that I needed to be able to read them myself." The last part was true, I started preschool early so I could read myself.

The Phantom nodded, seeming to understand. "That's not very common around here," he said. "And, don't worry. The name, 'Paige of a book' doesn't seem to fit you."

I looked away and blushed. If Marisa could've seen me, she'd say I was insane for being affected by his words.

"Are you hungry?" he asked. "There's some pastries left in the kitchen."

I smiled. "Yes, thank you." I walked in the direction of the kitchen, leaving the Phantom to his suspicions about girls who read.

The pastries were delicious- strawberry, my favorite. After breakfast, I settled for listening to the Phantom's music.

"You know my name," I said as he finished playing a song from _Don Juan Triumphant_ for me. "But I don't know yours."

He looked at me in shock. "_My _name?"

"Yes," I said with a laugh.

"Well, I haven't told anyone," he said. "Not even Christine. But you're an exception." He smiled, not even listening to his strange words. What happened to being angry at me for ruining his chance with Christine?

"My name is Erik," he said, and he seemed proud of it.

"Erik…" I tested the name.

Erik smiled.

"I thought you'd still be mad at me," I said suddenly.

Erik was caught by surprise. "What?"

"I said I thought you'd still be mad at me," I said.

"Oh," he said softly. "I'm sorry about last night. My _temper_…"

"I know," I said. He gave me an odd look. "Well, I at least know how you _feel_. I can get that way, too."

"You're probably not as bad as me," he muttered. "I thrash out in anger, murder in rage. I'm a monster."

I placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

"Never say that," I said sternly. "You are _not _a monster. You are a human being, and having a temper has _nothing _to do with Greek mythology."

Again, he gave me an odd look.

"The Ancient Greeks? All those monsters, satyrs, Cyclops, all those things. You're not one of them."

He laughed, which was my intention of bringing up Greek mythology. The atmosphere was getting a bit tense.

"Then I guess I'm a new kind of monster," he said to himself.

"What part of 'Never say that' don't you understand?" I asked. He smiled.

"There's no point in denying the truth. That will get you nowhere."

"There's no truth to saying you're a monster."

"Yes there is."

"I don't believe you."

"It's not just my temper you should be afraid of," he chuckled darkly.

"Oh, great," I muttered. "The face behind the mask. Please. I've heard about it, and I don't believe a word anyone says. Especially if it comes from Joseph Buquet's mouth. It's just not realistic, what people say."

"It's not what they say that matters," he agreed, adding, "but what you see."

"Stop it, just stop!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands in the air and standing up for emphasis. "Okay, I barely know you, yet I know everything about you, _including _the fact that _you're not a monster_!"

"I'm not a monster, am I?" he questioned, standing up as well.

"No, you're not," I said defiantly.

"Prove it," he spat.

Crap. I released his temper.

"_Prove it_," he repeated, with more venom. "Unless, of course, you can't, which is perfectly understandable."

"You write beautiful music," I started. "You taught Christine to sing so beautifully that the owners of the opera had the guts to replace Carlotta with her. You haven't killed me. You're. Not. A. Monster."

With that, I ripped off his mask.


	7. Chapter 7

Stupid, stupid, _stupid_! What was _wrong _with me?

At first Erik looked furious. His mood changed quickly to hurt as his ivory half mask clattered to the floor. He placed his hand over his face, where the mask should've been, but it was too late. I'd already seen it.

"Go," he commanded sadly, reaching down to pick up his mask. I took it from him.

"No."

Erik was shocked. "No? I'm letting you go, Paige."

"But I'm not going," I repeated.

He sighed. "Don't make yourself uncomfortable and stay here out of pity," he mumbled.

"Pity? No, I don't pity you. I just want to stay here."

"And I'm telling you not to."

"And _I'm _not listening."

I reached up to his face, moving his hand. He tensed, but didn't stop me.

Erik's face was exactly like Gerard Butler's in the movie. His eyelid was red and swollen, there was no eyebrow visible, and his cheek and half of his forehead were scarred and swollen as well.

"Do you still think I'm not a monster?" he asked with a sneer, not looking at me.

"Of course," I said simply. "How could you be?"

Erik's jaw dropped. "Are you blind? Can you not see my face?"

"I can see it perfectly fine," I assured him calmly. "Just because your face is like this, doesn't mean you're a monster."

"You're probably the only one on this earth that thinks so."

But I wasn't listening. I reached my hand to his face tentatively, caressing his right cheek. He put his hand on mine.

"You're one strange girl, Paige," he said. I laughed.

"You're probably _not _the only one on this earth that thinks so," I told him. Erik laughed as well.

Standing there, in front of Erik, a hand on his scarred cheek, his hand on top of mine, laughing at the possibility of him being a feared monster, I realized that my wish had come true. Erik was happy!

One problem- I didn't want to leave.

Now that my 'purpose' was fulfilled, would I be sent back to my world?

I realized that the answer was no. Just because he was happy that I accepted him, didn't mean that Christine would be gone from his mind. Christine weighed heavily upon his heart, and I had to take her away from it.

"What's wrong?" he asked, seeing my worried look.

"Nothing," I lied. I smiled up at him, caressing his cheek again.

"Your face is beautiful," I murmured.

He smiled back.

~0~0~0~0~0~

That day, while I listened to Erik's beautiful music, I was going through some internal conflict.

Yes, I hadn't rejected him. Yes, I had told him he wasn't ugly, that his face was beautiful. Yes, I was probably the only person on the face of the earth that thought so.

Yes, he was happy.

But I wasn't.

Realizing that he still loved Christine made me sad. Why?

Because, taking off his mask and telling him that he was beautiful, made me realize something. Something big, something important.

I loved him.

_NO!_

No, no, no! What was I thinking! How could I love him? Time to get back in your own world, Paige!

But I couldn't. Not only would I be miserable, but so would Erik. It was a Twilight situation; Erik was my own personal Edward, pre-Bella-knew-Edward-was-a-vampire Edward. Pre-relationship Edward, I guess.

What would Madeline think? She'd be happy, and shout to the world that I loved Erik, and then tell Erik, too. Cadence wouldn't be listening to me; she'd be staring at Erik, googly eyes included. Marisa would think I was insane.

Marisa probably wasn't the only one who thought that.


	8. Chapter 8

**Erik's POV:**

Paige was an exceedingly strange girl, I learned that very quickly. First, she takes off my mask, then she insists on staying with me, and, more surprising than anything, she insists I wear my mask less often.

"Why in the world would I do that?" I asked.

"I prefer to see you without it," she admitted, blushing and looking away. I smiled, cupping her face in my hand, turning it back towards me. She looked at me curiously.

_What was I doing? What happened to Christine!_

_Forget it, Erik,_ I told myself. _By now she's happy with that Viscount, and there's nothing you can do about it._

I leaned in, kissing Paige's cheek softly, and told her, "Your friends will be worried about you. You should go visit them."

"I'll come back," she promised.

"I doubt that," I said quietly, "but that doesn't matter. Go assure your friends you are safe."

"You don't believe me?" she asked, looking hurt. I frowned.

"Of course I do," I assured her. "But you don't have to stay, and I don't expect you to. Besides, you need to see your friends again before they call the police. I'll come with you."

"I _will _come back," she repeated. "Count on it."

I didn't reply, so I wouldn't be hurt worse when she didn't return. Why would she? She belonged above, in the opera, singing for large crowds.

That made me think of something. I'd never heard Paige sing. She was a chorus girl, I knew that much, but I'd never heard her sing. Soon, I found myself hoping for her return.

We traveled through the catacombs in silence, having virtually nothing to say. Once inside the hallway containing a large stone door that led to one of the opera's corridors, Paige did the most surprising thing possible.

She kissed me. Her delicate arms wrapped around my neck, and I found myself wrapping my arms around her waist. What was I doing? What was _she _doing?

Suddenly, she pulled away, breathless, as was I.

"Sorry," she apologized. "But now you _know _I'll come back."

Soon she was stepping through the stone door, and as it shut, I found myself wondering why she felt the need to kiss me.

~0~0~0~0~0~

**Paige's POV:**

What was _that _for? I just kissed the Phantom of the Opera, for crying out loud, and for no apparent reason! But he seemed to like it…

What the…?

"PAIGE!" came a scream from behind me. A girl's scream. Several girls, to be precise.

Cadence, Madeline, Marisa, Meg, and Christine ran up to me, hugging me like crazy.

"We thought you were dead!" Madeline exclaimed.

"We thought the Opera Ghost killed you!" Meg added, agreeing.

"No, no, he merely, ah, welcomed me to his realm, you might say," I said.

"Did he hurt you?" Christine asked. "If he did, oh, Paige, I'm so sorry! It's all my fault, isn't it?"

"No, Christine, he didn't hurt me," I assured her, adding mentally, _except for nearly breaking my wrist, but I'm alive, aren't I?_

"What's he like?" Meg asked.

"Let's discuss this later," I said. "May we use your dressing room, Christine?"

"Yes, of course," she said. She led the way to her room, closing and locking the door behind us.

"Same question," Meg said.

"Let's see, well, for one, he's very handsome," I began. "He is one of the kindest people I've ever met, but he has the slightest bit of a temper." Okay, he _did _have a bigger temper than that, but I didn't want to scare them.

"He's handsome?" Meg inquired. "That's not what I've heard."

"Don't listen to what people say," I said gravely. "It's nothing but lies."

"Especially if it comes from Joseph Buquet," Marisa agreed. "What's his lair like?"

"Well, it's huge," I said with a laugh, the others joining me. "It's filled with candles, lots of them, and sheet music, and there's a organ in there, and he plays it all the time."

"It sounds like a musical heaven," Christine mused.

"Christine, only you would think that," Meg laughed.

"It sounds like a musical Bat Cave to me," Cadence said. Of course, Meg and Christine had no idea what we were talking about.

That night, I told Marisa that I wasn't planning on staying.

"You're seriously going back there?" she asked.

"For I have promises to keep," I said, "and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep."

"Okay, Miss Frost," Marisa laughed. "Go ahead, run along to your little Phantom."

I smiled, sprinting the distance to the gondola, and rowing as fast as possible.

Entering the gate, I was greeted by music from _Don Juan Triumphant_. I smiled as Erik gawked at me.

"I keep my promises, Erik," I said.

"I didn't think you'd come," he admitted. "But I heard what you said about me."

"I told nothing but the truth," I assured him, sitting beside him at the organ.

"You kissed me…" he remembered. I blushed.

"I'm sorry about that," I said awkwardly. "I don't know what I was thinking…"

"Sorry?" he mused. "That was probably one of the best moments of my life."

Awkward…

"You mean…?" I trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"I…"

"Yeah."

I wasn't about to admit that I loved him. That would just make the awkward atmosphere worse. So I kept silent.

Of course, silence only worked for so long.

"Why, do you think," he asked, "you kissed me?"

"Well," I began slowly. "I've never felt this way before, but it feels… different, when I'm around you than anyone else. Than any other man I've ever known. A good different, of course."

"So you're saying…"

"Yes."

"You love me?"

I blushed, looking away.

Erik took my face in his hands, turning my face towards his.

"I've never felt this way before, either," he said. "Not even with Christine. It's like… a connection, like you understand me better than anyone."

"Which I do," I agreed.

"Even better than Madame Giry," he said. "And that's saying a lot. She has been one of my only companions since… a while."

I nodded. "So… do you?"

"Love… You?"

"Do you?"

"… Yes. I do."

My heart leaped for joy. He loved me! _Me_! He loved _me_!

I brushed my hand against the unmasked side of his face, then pulled of his mask.

"Much better," I said. Erik smiled.

I leaned and kissed him again, yet this time we knew what to expect. We wrapped ourselves around each other, pulling each other closer, when-

"Stop," Erik moaned. "Please."

I frowned, hurt. "Why?"

"I can't," he said. "You don't want to know what I'm thinking right now."

"Oh," I realized.

"Yes," he said. "Besides, it's getting late, and you must be tired."

I yawned involuntarily. Erik chuckled. He picked me up and carried me into his room, setting me gently in the swan bed.

He turned to leave. "No!" I cried.

Erik turned, surprised.

"Stay with me," I begged.

I could see the internal conflict in his eyes.

"Please," I moaned.

Erik crawled under the covers next to me, wrapping his arms around me. As soon as he started to sing, I fell into a peaceful sleep.

**A/N: The "Miss Frost" thing is a reference to a poem whose name escapes me at the moment, by Robert Frost.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Erik's POV:**

That night, the night she came back, Paige drifted to sleep in my arms, as I sang her to sleep. She looked so delicate, so fragile, in my arms, as if I might break her if I were too harsh.

She was so beautiful. Her long brown hair cascaded around her, engulfing me in her scent. Her porcelain skin gleamed in the candlelight. Her wide, hazel eyes were shut, her round, pink lips seeming to beg for a kiss. I kissed her softly before climbing out of the bed and retired to the divan once more.

And who was I to be greeted by, but none other than Madame Giry.

I quickly turned around, replacing my mask. I had almost forgotten that Paige had taken it off.

"Hello, Erik," she greeted.

"Hello, Antoinette," I said.

"I would like to know where my missing chorus girl has gone," she said, eyeing me with an inquisitive look. "Her name is Paige Mallory."

I suddenly realized that I'd never heard her last name.

"Don't look at me, Antoinette. She returned of her own will. I told her to go, but she refused," I explained.

"Strange," Madame Giry mused. "All four of the new girls are a bit strange."

"Different," I corrected. Madame Giry nodded.

"Where is she now?" she asked.

"Asleep," I said.

"You didn't…!"

"No! I would never, not unless she wanted me to."

Madame Giry nodded, though I could tell she wasn't exactly trusting my words.

"Antoinette, I love her," I assured her, "and she loves me. I would only do something… like that if she allowed me to."

Madame Giry nodded again, turning to leave.

"Tell her I visited," she said.

"I will."

As soon as Madame Giry left, I returned to my room. Paige was still asleep, as breathtakingly beautiful as ever.

I crawled in beside her, wrapping my arms around her waist. In her sleep, she cuddled into my side. I smiled, kissing her lightly on the forehead.

I looked back on my conversation with Madame Giry. It was true; I would never do something like that to Paige without her permission. I had her love and acceptance, and she had mine. Could I ever ask for more?

The answer was yes, of course. But I was getting ahead of myself. We only discovered our love tonight; I needed to give the idea some time.

Still, I could not keep lustful thoughts of her out of my head.

~0~0~0~0~0~

**Paige's POV:**

I awoke in the same position that I fell asleep in; I was in Erik's arms, which was fine with me.

"You're awake," he murmured.

"What gave it away?" I asked, looking up at him.

He smiled. "Your breathing changed."

"Darn," I muttered, winding my arms around his neck and kissing him.

"Please," Erik moaned under my kiss. "Stop."

"No," I said defiantly. I continued to kiss him, surrounded in complete bliss, that is, until Erik pulled away.

"Is that going to happen every time I kiss you?" I asked, panting from our kiss.

"Most likely," he said, much the same as me.

I kept my arms around his neck, and he kept his arms around my waist. We laid there for a while, until Erik insisted that I ate breakfast.

"I'd much rather stay here," I disagreed. "But if you insist…"

"Which I do," he laughed.

"Then breakfast it is."

Breakfast that morning seemed to drag on forever. Erik prepared for us eggs, bacon, and blueberry pastries.

"You're tormenting me, you know that?" I said somewhat accusingly.

"Why?" he asked with a laugh.

"First of all, you're wearing your mask again," I said, taking it off.

He smiled weakly. "Sorry about that. Late night visitor."

"Who?" I asked.

"Madame Giry," he said. "She came to check on you. You know, you're probably the only person I know that _doesn't _want me to wear my mask."

"I know. I prefer to see you without it. Which brings me to reason number two," I said. "You won't let me kiss you properly."

He looked away from me guiltily. "Ah," he said softly. "That."

"Why?" I asked, not realizing that I whispered.

"I…" He trailed off, unable to finish. "I might… go too far…"

"But you would never hurt me," I concluded. "It seems that only _I _believe in you."

"So it seems," he agreed.

"I don't think you'd ever do something like that," I said defiantly. "Not unless I wanted you to."

"I might not be able to control myself," he admitted quietly. He looked at me hungrily, his eyes full of want.

"What if I don't care?" I asked softly. "What if I wanted you to?"

His expression was thoroughly surprised, then remorseful.

"I could never be able," he said slowly, "to let you be cursed with… my… offspring."

"Cursed?" I asked, hurt. "That's what you truly think…"

"I care about you too much to put you through that," he said.

"But _I _don't care, Erik," I said, my tone and expression determined. "It doesn't matter to me."

"You say that now," he muttered. "But later… that's a different story."

"It isn't different in the slightest," I said.

I felt like Bella in Twilight again. It was that type of situation- except Erik wasn't thirsting for my blood, but thirsting for _me_ in general.

I kissed Erik again, expecting the usual out come- him pulling away, and insisting that we move on to some trivial matter.

But this time, he didn't stop. He kissed me back, pulling me closer and closer. We stood up, never parting. He picked me up, breaking our kiss, and carried me to his bedroom.

I saw his plan. He was tricking me into thinking he'd lose it, so I'd learn a lesson or something stupid like that.

He set me down, kissing me once more. We lay on the bed kissing each other for a while, until he finally gave in.

"I can't," he said. 'I just can't."

"You can," I corrected. "You're just being too stubborn."

"If being stubborn keeps you safe," he said. "Then that would be a yes."


	10. Chapter 10

Erik ever-so-cleverly changed the subject and began playing excerpts from _Don Juan Triumphant_. While playing _Past the Point of No Return_, he asked me if I could sing along. I complied.

A crazy idea entered my head as I began to sing Aminta's lines. I smiled, singing;

_You have brought me_

_to that moment_

_where words run dry,_

_to that moment_

_where speech_

_Disappears_

_into silence,_

_silence . . .I have come here,_

_hardly knowing_

_the reason why . . ._

_In my mind,_

_I've already_

_imagined our_

_bodies entwining_

_defenseless and silent -_

_and now I am_

_here with you:_

_no second thoughts,I've decided,_

_decided . . ._

_Past the point_

_of no return -_

_no going back now:_

_our passion-play_

_has now, at last,_

_begun . . ._

_Past all thought_

_of right or wrong -_

_one final question:_

_how long should we_

_two wait, before_

_we're one . . .?When will the blood_

_begin to race_

_the sleeping bud_

_burst into bloom?_

_When will the flames,_

_at last, consume_

_us . . .?_

"Past the point of no return," Erik sang, joining me.

_The final threshold -the bridge_

_is crossed, so stand_

_and watch it burn . . ._

_We've passed the point_

_of no return . . ._

I was feeling slightly devious, so I sang, _"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime, say the word and I will follow you. Say you want me with you here, beside you."_

Yes, I'm aware I changed the words a bit, but I wanted to sing the truth.

Erik stared at me with wide eyes. "Paige… that was… beautiful."

I smiled. Taking his hands in mine, I sang the last few words.

"_Anywhere you go, let me go, too. Erik- that's all I ask of you._"

Finally, Erik has the guts to kiss _me_. He pulled me close to him, tears falling down his cheeks. I kissed back as passionately as possible, not wanting to lose a moment with him.

Anyway, back to my deviousness. I began playing with his wig, ripping it off and combing my fingers through his blond hair. He noticed, alright, but he didn't do anything.

I smiled under his lips- he was losing control.

His hands felt around my back, to my pleasure, undoing the buttons of the dress, until, of course, he regained his so-called 'common sense'.

"Sorry," he panted, pulling away. Our breathing was heavy, coming in shallow gasps. "I- I was just so happy… when you said… you sang that…"

I smiled. "Erik, you have nothing to be sorry for."

Erik smiled back. "You did that on purpose."

"But you still love me," I said, grinning.

Erik chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "Lunch, anyone?"

I laughed, wondering how in the world he could think of something so normal, after we'd been so close to- ah, to what he was afraid of doing. Yes, let's call it that.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I'd like to give a TON of credit to my cousin, Paige, who inspired this story, and helped me write it. There would be no story without her, so thank you!**

**Another thing: This chapter is rated M-ish. Hey, don't look at me like that! It was bound to happen!**

It wasn't long before I'd officially spent a week living with Erik in the catacombs. There had been some angry moments, some really fluffy (yes, I'm using fan fiction terminology) moments, and even some really melancholic moments. Moving into Erik's home was probably the best decision I'd ever made.

Still, Erik was being cautious with me. I could sense it. He pulled away from our kisses when things got heated up, he left me in the middle of the night to sleep on the divan, sometimes, he even insisted I stay with my friends in the opera 'for my safety'. I, of course, being the devoted idiot I was, refused.

Yes, life in the catacombs was ideal, at least, for me. I loved Erik with a burning passion, with all my heart and soul, and he loved me. That's all that mattered.

I remember, now, telling you in the first chapter that this was going to be a pretty gory story, am I correct? If you haven't already noticed, I sort of lied…

Sort of. The story seems all wonderful now, but that could all change. Remember, dear reader, that I am writing this in the present, as in, something happens, and then I sneak out my laptop, type it, and post it. I was just warning you in Chapter 1, in case something terrible happened.

Moving on to the _actual _chapter…

It was Saturday. Erik was playing his organ, while I sang along. I sat on the bench next to him, my head resting on his shoulder.

Erik's music came to a sudden stop. My head snapped up as I heard footsteps. Turning around, I saw Madame Giry walking toward us.

"I have terrible news," she said sadly.

I stood up, worried. "What is it?"

"Your friend, Marisa Kubaki, has been paralyzed from the neck down."

My eyes went wide. "No…"

Madame Giry shook her head sadly.

No! This couldn't happen! Marisa was a dancer, but she obviously couldn't dance now! What would become of her? Where would she go?

"But," Madame Giry continued. "two girls, Madam Webber and Madam Laufle, I believe, arrived at the opera soon after the news spread about Marisa. Apparantly they own an estate nearby, and will be taking her in. Madam Webber said that I am to tell you that she invites you to their estate."

I smiled. Madam Webber and Madam Laufle- Alexis and Kelly were here, too! And they were rich! How in the world…?

"Tell them that I will visit them soon," I said. Madame Giry nodded, and left.

"You know Madam Webber and Madam Laufle?" Erik asked.

I nodded. "Childhood friends," I explained. "Very rich, apparently… oh, poor Marisa…"

"Well, at least your friend is in good hands," he said comfortingly, wrapping his arms around my waist. I leaned my head on the crook of his neck, smiling.

"She's not the only one in good hands," I murmured.

Erik smiled. "Very true," he agreed.

I could've stood there forever, in the arms of my lover. I still couldn't believe that this was happening to me, even after all that had happened. I was basically the Phantom of the Opera's girlfriend, after all those years of dreaming it would happen. Who would think that simply wishing it to happen at eleven eleven would work?

I turned my head upwards and kissed him lightly on the lips, which suddenly turned into a very passionate kiss. It started out the same as all others, Erik was careful and confined, and I was pushing him to give in a little. I wound my arms around his neck, bringing him closer.

It was then that Erik snapped.

He then lost it, lost all control over himself and his actions.

His kiss turned forceful and hungry, I could sense the lust in his actions. Lust that had been boiling up inside him since that first touch, that first kiss. Lust that he had been trying to control, but he could only contain it for so long.

I parted my lips, allowing his tongue entrance into my mouth. His hands cupped my face as I ripped of his wig. His hands grasped my hair, pushing my face closer, if that was even remotely possible.

His hands ran down my back, unbuttoning the dress, as I unbuttoned his shirt, pulled it off, and threw it to the floor.

"Paige," he moaned softly. "We need to stop."

"Bedroom…" I ordered.

"No," he groaned.

"Please?"

"Paige…"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

I smiled. "No kidding."

Soon. Erik was carrying me in the direction of what I hoped was the bedroom. I soon found that to be true, as I was set gently on the bed. Erik lay down beside me, kissing me again.

There's no need to explain in detail what happened next, because I think you know what did. But let me sum it up for you anyway:

Erik gave up on 'self control' and forgot about 'my safety'.

~0~0~0~0~0~

**Erik's POV:**

I woke up that morning in the swan bed next to Paige. The night before came rushing into my head.

Oh, dear God. What had I done?

I looked down at my sleeping angel, my beautiful Paige. I stroked her hair gently, momentarily forgetting my worries, forgetting how ashamed of myself I was for losing control. Not that she seemed to care…

"Erik?" she asked, opening her eyes.

I smiled down at her. "Hello," I murmured, still stroking her hair.

"Thank you," she whispered. I looked at her, confused.

"For last night… I need not go into details."

I chuckled. "I'm so sorry," I apologized.

She gawked at me. "What for?"

"We… I shouldn't have done that," I said. "We're not even married… and, well, as you said, I need not go into details."

She smiled. "I don't care," she said, her voice calm and sure. "I don't care, as long as I'm with you."

I kissed her cheek gently, hugging her around her waist.

"Breakfast," I said.

Paige merely laughed.


	12. Chapter 12

**Paige's POV:**

Breakfast that morning was enjoyable, as I was sitting as close to Erik as possible without winding into the same situation as last night.

Erik handed me a cup of tea. "Here, drink this. I put some feverfew in it, which should take effect in a few days."

I cocked my head to the side. "Feverfew?" I asked.

Erik looked at his plate awkwardly. "It prevents… pregnancy."

I blushed, drinking the tea. I could taste the herb in it, and, let me tell you, it didn't taste all that wonderful.

"I'm going to go visit Marisa at Madam Webber and Madam Laufle's estate today," I told him halfway through breakfast.

He smiled. "You should. You're spending far too much time underground."

I laughed. "Oh, I don't mind. There's a certain musical genius that lives down there, and I love him with all my heart," I said teasingly. "His name's Erik. You should meet him sometime, he's a great guy."

Erik hugged me around the waist. "I love you," he murmured.

"You are my life now," I told him. Great, now I'm quoting Edward Cullen. Love does _strange _things to you.

Erik came with me as far as the stone door in the candle lit corridor. I kissed him lightly on the lips before entering the opera.

"Hurry back," he said.

I smiled. "Always."

~0~0~0~0~0~

After a ten minute drive, the carriage I was riding in pulled into a halt outside what I assumed was my friend's estate. I handed the cabby ten francs, stepping out and walking up the brick path.

I knocked on the door, which was opened by one of the maids.

"I'm here to see Madam Webber and Madam Laufle," I said. The maid showed me into the parlor, where I sat and waited.

"_Paige_!"

I turned and smiled. Alexis and Kelly were standing in the doorway. I stood, walking up to them and hugging them.

"It's so good to see you guys," I said. "Can you please explain this very expensive estate to me?"

"You first," Alexis demanded. "What's all this about you dating the Opera Ghost?"

"Marisa," I muttered.

"You rang?" my paralyzed friend asked. Marisa was sitting in a wheelchair, pushing it forward to greet me.

"Yes, I did ring. You told them?" I asked.

"Not much. Now tell us about your week with the Phantom!"

I explained the good parts of my stay with Erik to them, minus, of course, last night.

"Love at first sight…" Kelly said dreamily.

"Now I'd like to know what happened here!" I demanded.

"So, first, Kelly and I woke up in the middle of the night, only to find a broken window and you four gone. So we went inside," Alexis began.

Marisa took it from there. "And when they came up to Cadence, Madeline, and I, well, I fell off the stage in surprise, and, well, this happened." She gestured to the wheelchair she sat in.

"And the estate?" I asked.

"Well," Alexis said. "I have some French relatives, ancestors, more like it. So when I stepped through the window, I was suddenly carrying a purse, which happened to contain two hundred thousand francs."

"That's weird," I said. "But awesome."

"Will you stay?" Kelly asked. "Here at the estate, at least overnight?"

I shook my head. "I'm sorry, but I promised him I'd return as soon as possible."

They nodded, understanding.

"So, do anything fun lately?" Kelly asked jokingly. I looked away, blushing.

Apparantly Marisa's a mind reader now, because she took in my current state almost instantly.

"_Paige Nicole Mallory_!" she exclaimed in shock. "You didn't….!"

I blushed even redder, turning away from them.

"What do you mean… _PAIGE_!" Kelly exclaimed, understanding as well. Alexis's jaw dropped as she realized what they meant.

"Paige, you're only fifteen! How could you even _think _about doing something like that?" Alexis asked, thoroughly shocked.

"I didn't," I said. "Honestly. It just sort of… happened. Believe me, he didn't do it on purpose. He was actually trying his hardest not to."

"Too bad they don't have pregnancy preventing medicine in this time period," Alexis muttered.

"No," I agreed. "But they do have herbal remedies."

~0~0~0~0~0~

I was back at Erik's home in less than fifteen minutes. Erik greeted me with open arms.

"How was your visit?" he asked.

"Interesting," I said honestly. "They haven't changed a bit… except for Marisa, of course."

He smiled, kissing me.

"We won't go as far as last night," Erik swore.

"No promises," I disagreed. "But we can try."

"On second thought," he chuckled. "Maybe…"

I silenced him with a kiss, replaying the night before to the best of my ability.

"We're going to need more feverfew," Erik said with a laugh, carrying me to the bedroom.


	13. Chapter 13

That Sunday revolved around music, beautiful music, and trying not to… you know.

"This isn't right," Erik said after finishing a piece I'd been singing along to. "It's Sunday, we…" He didn't explain what he meant, not that he had to. "We're not even married. It's a sin, and you really should be going to church."

"What about you?" I asked. "I'm not alone on this one."

He sighed. "There's no point," he said. "I already believe there's no hope for me."

"Of course there is!" I exclaimed. "You're a human being, you have a soul, a life, but you don't believe it. Why?"

I felt myself relating to Bella now more than ever. Erik _and _Edward both didn't believe they had souls. Except Bella didn't care, she just wanted to be with Edward. I just wanted to be with Erik, but the consequences kept coming to me. Apparantly he'd been thinking about them, too.

"Do you really think that God would give me the past I had if he loved me?" he asked sadly. "Would he even forgive me for all I've done? I've murdered, lied, coveted, the list could go on. It does go on."

"Coveted?" I mused.

"I coveted you," he said simply. "I don't deserve a wonderful girl like you in the slightest."

Okay… that was _so _Edward. Kind of creepy how I'm relating two entirely different stories to each other…

"God forgives," I said just as simply.

"Even murderers?" he asked with a smirk.

"Even murderers," I assured him. " The Bible even says so."

"I've never read a Bible," he admitted. "No one has ever given me one, and I never had the chance to acquire one myself."

"The Bible says," I recited, "_If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness_." I wasn't sure what verse or what book it was from, but it was a good verse, and Erik was deeply reassured by it.

"Have you been baptized?" I asked suddenly.

"Baptized?" he asked. "No. Why?"

"Because," I said, "baptism is a sign of belonging to God. When you're baptized, usually as a young child," here I smirked, "you're counted as one of God's children."

"Hmm," he said, thinking.

"Well," I suggested, "maybe you should be baptized."

He smiled. "Maybe I should."

I stood up, pulling Erik with me, and stood at the edge of the water. I playfully pushed him in, not expecting him to pull me with him. We laughed for a while, especially when I started splashing him, saying, "Now, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

After nearly splashing each other to death, we rested on the shore, laughing.

"Wonderful ceremony, Madam," Erik chuckled.

"I'm no priest," I agreed. "But it works." I paused. "How does it feel to be forgiven?"

"You think He's forgiven me?" he asked, leaning on one side to face me.

"Of course," I said, smiling. Erik smiled as well.

Ah, miracles. Sometimes cheesy, but they always work.

~0~0~0~0~0~

I collapsed on the swan bed that night, worn out from a day of first finding and buying a Bible, reading the books of Genesis and Matthew with Erik, and explaining to him what the Lord's Supper was.

"You must be tired," he said, chuckling as he lay next to me, stroking my hair. "Don't worry, I won't do anything tonight."

I nodded, my eyelids fluttering as I fought to stay awake.

"Sleep, Paige," he ordered softly. "You need it, especially after today."

As a means of agreement, I curled up next to him, falling asleep almost instantly.


	14. Chapter 14

**Erik's POV:**

I watched _mon ange _fall asleep, her resting form as beautiful as ever. I stroked her hair, kissed her forehead, and left her to rest.

Never had I felt so loved, so cared about, until that day. Paige not only had devoted herself to staying with me, but she told me that their was a merciful God up in heaven that cared about me. She'd introduced me to the gospel, 'baptized' me, and so much more.

_Thank you, God,_ I prayed in my mind. _Thank you for sending me Paige, mon belle ange. Is she an angel, Lord? She must be, she is everything I've ever needed, she's helped me and cared for me, she _must _be an angel. A gift from above._

My gift… I sighed, walking over to my desk, which sat beside my organ. Its contents were mainly music, paintings, and countless masks I'd made over the years. Not that I needed them anymore, of course.

Before I met Paige, all the pictures I'd drawn were of Christine. But after that night- you know what I mean- I gave them to Christine, telling her that she was free, and belonged to her beloved Viscount. Soon all my paintings of Christine turned into paintings of Paige.

A silver glint on the desk caught my eye. Picking it up, I realized it was a ring. The ring I'd been planning to give to Christine. I grinned. Maybe now it would serve a different use.

Since that morning, I'd been planning my proposal to Paige. Maybe I'd play a song for her, then ask. Or maybe I'd _sing _a song for her…

I shook my head, setting down the ring. _Give it some time,_ I thought.

I returned to the swan bed, where Paige slept peacefully. I crawled in next to her, sliding my arms around her waist. She curled up next to me, smiling in her sleep.

I smiled as well, down at my beautiful lover… perhaps, someday, my beautiful wife.

~0~0~0~0~0~

**Paige's POV:**

I awoke in the same position as always, in Erik's arms, him smiling down at me.

"Hello," I said, resting my head on his chest. Laying their, I heard his heartbeat quicken.

I smiled. "Are you okay?" I asked.

He chuckled. "You could say that… but…"

I laughed at his discomfort, pulling away from him.

He gave me an odd look. "And what, might I ask, did you do that for?"

"You were losing it," I said matter-of-factly.

"I was not," he disagreed, pulling me closer to him.

"If you say so," I said. "But if anything happens…"

"Which it won't."

"If anything happens, I'm blaming you."

He laughed, kissing my forehead. I smiled.

"I will admit, however," he said finally, "that I'm trying… very hard… not to do anything… like that."

"Aha," I said triumphantly. "Deep breaths, Erik."

He let out a shaky laugh. I immediately sensed the depth of his struggle and pulled away, rolling to the other side of the bed.

He sighed heavily. "I'm sorry," he said softly.

I smiled. "It's okay. I'm not mad or anything."

He ran a hand through his hair. "Breakfast," he commanded with a laugh.

I complied. Unwillingly, of course.

After eating a traditional French breakfast, Erik insisted we do something different that day.

"We could go up to the roof," I suggested.

"That sounds perfect," he agreed. "We'll make it a picnic."

~0~0~0~0~0~

That afternoon, we brought our lunch to the roof of the opera house, eating in the blissful sunshine, and enjoying the beautiful summer day.

A random thought came to me. "Erik, when's your birthday?"

He looked surprised. "My birthday?" he asked. "I'm not sure. It was never celebrated. My parents couldn't have cared less, and, well, it's no surprise the gypsies didn't celebrate it."

I nodded. "You _really _don't know? Well, that's just great. Now I can't get you anything for your birthday, because I don't know when it is!"

He laughed. "When's _your _birthday?" he asked.

"Mine?" I asked. "August 16th."

He nodded. "I'll keep that in mind when August 16th comes around."

I laughed, resting my head on his shoulder, and ignoring it when he tensed up.

"Paige…" he whispered.

"You're fine," I told him. "Completely under control."

"I hope you're right," he said, forcing a smile.

We sat like that for a while, completely still. Erik kissed me on the cheek, causing me to look at him curiously.

"I'm okay," he assured me. It was true- his tensed form was slowly relaxing.

"Why, do you think," I asked, "it's so _hard _for you to be around me, without…"

"I don't know," he admitted. "I've never… _wanted _anyone… like I want you."

"Really?" I asked, a bit surprised. It always seemed that's how he reacted to Christine…

"Yes," he chuckled. "You're a new experience for me, Paige."

I smiled. "I hope that's a good thing."

"Don't worry," he said. "It is."

I kissed him softly. What made me happy about being with Erik in any way or form was knowing I had his love, not just his lust.

Looking up at him, I noticed his contemplating expression.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing," he assured me. "I'm just trying to put this in words, the right words…"

I smiled. "Erik, whatever you want to say, just say it."

He took a deep breath, then stood up. He walked over to the stone rail, and I soon followed him.

Erik took both my hands in his.

"Paige," he began. "I love you. I love you with all my heart, my soul, my mind. You are the most important person in my life. You've shown me immeasurable kindness, you've trusted me like no one else has. You've brought me to God, and, as far as I'm concerned, I don't deserve you in the slightest."

I was about to protest that last bit, but he silenced me with a finger to my lips.

"Now, I've got a question to ask you, Paige. A very important question, that might be a bit unexpected, in the short time we've known each other."

My heart raced, pounding in my ears, as he knelt down and pulled out a ring- a ring I recognized as the ring he gave to Christine in the movie.

"Paige Mallory, I love you, more than you will ever know. Will you marry me?"

I stood there in shock for a moment, not having expected something like this to happen so soon. I knew my answer, of course. I knew it by heart.

"Erik," I said, kneeling beside him. "I love you, too, and you know that. You're the best part of my life, and I couldn't possibly live without you. I've known the answer to this question since I first met you, it seems. Yes, Erik. A thousand times, _yes_!"

Erik kissed me then with such joy that I thought I might die of it. We stood up, still kissing, that is, until he picked me up, spinning me around in pure happiness. Tears of joy streamed down both our faces, and it seemed as if life couldn't get any better.

Of course, we both knew it could. As long as we were in each others lives, life could indeed get better. Much, _much _better.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Story's just about over- sort of. I'm planning on turning this into a trilogy-ish thing… yes, folks, there will be a sequel!**

**For my **_**Mon Ange, Mon Fantome **_**readers, I am really sorry for not updating as much as you'd like me to! I have writer's block with that story, and this story is just sort of coming to me randomly. **

**And a response to Captain Phantom Glass's review; well, this isn't the most Christian couple in the world, don't you think?**

**So keep reading and reviewing, people! **

~0~0~0~0~0~

I visited Kelly, Alexis, and Marisa at their estate a couple days after my engagement. It was still hard to believe that I was engaged- I was fifteen, for crying out loud! But in love… deeply in love. Insert dramatic sigh here.

The six of us talked for nearly hours at a time. Apparantly Cadence and Madeline were spending the week there, so it was a bit of a reunion for us all.

"Anything new going on with you and the Phantom?" Madeline asked, genuinely curious.

I'd been trying to stay away from that subject. Thanks a lot, Madeline.

"Well," I began slowly. "I guess you'll find out soon enough… when you get the invitations… but…"

"What?" they seemed to ask at the same time.

"I'm… engaged. To Erik."

Silence. Awkward silence.

"Paige! Oh my gosh, I'm so happy for you!" A thousand congratulations were shouted at the same time. The engagement ring on my finger seemed to weigh a million tons as the admired it.

"Wait, Erik? Is that the Phantom?" Cadence asked.

"Yep," I answered. "Wedding's in two months."

"Only two?" Kelly asked.

"Well, that's my fault," I explained. "I insisted on a shorter engagement… just in case I magically disappear through that window and reappear at the sleepover."

The others nodded. "That'd be terrible," Madeline agreed.

"I just hope that doesn't happen," I muttered. "Hey, I'd better go."

"Why now?" Alexis asked, knowing my answer.

"Don't want to lose any time with Erik."

~0~0~0~0~0~

**Erik's POV:**

Life was utterly perfect.

Paige said yes- she actually said yes!- and was to marry me in two months, I could finally keep under control while around her, at least, after some practice, I guess, and the owners of the opera had complied to my requests about Box 5 and my paycheck, but my paycheck was fife thousand francs instead of twenty thousand.

Still, life was wonderful. At the moment, Paige was visiting her friends, Madam Laufle and Madam Webber, I believe, at their estate. I was composing yet _another _song for _Don Juan Triumphant_, and I had lunch, when Paige would return, to look forward to.

Paige came earlier than that. As soon as I'd written the first couple chords of the song, she was sitting beside me.

"You're back early," I noted.

"I know," she said, resting her head on my shoulder. "How's your song coming?"

"Pretty well," I said.

"Are you okay?" she asked, remembering my actions from the previous day.

"I'm perfectly fine," I assured her, wrapping an arm around her waist. She smiled.

"Good," she said. "Because I'm not going away this time."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Well, then don't," I suggested.

"Erik?" a voice called.

"Madame Giry?" I asked.

"Erik," said Madame Giry as she stepped out of the gondola. "I've been hearing rumors about your engagement from Meg. Is it true?"

She glanced at Paige. Paige held up her hand with the engagement ring on it as means of answer.

"Erik!" she said, surprised. "I'm so happy for you, for both of you."

"The wedding is in two months," I said.

"Only two?" Madame Giry asked.

"It was her idea," I said, pointing at Paige, who laughed.

"Well," Madame Giry said. "It seems we'll have to get to work on preparations. Yes, I'm helping, and there's nothing you can do about it," she added, seeing my dismayed look. I groaned, Paige laughed.

"We'd _love _some help, Madame Giry," Paige said, elbowing me.

Madame Giry smiled, leaving on the gondola. "Meg says hello, to both of you!" she shouted.

~0~0~0~0~0~

**Paige's POV:**

"Do you think you can stand two months without…" I trailed off that night, lying in bed next to him.

He smiled at my concern. "I'll be fine," he assured me.

"If you say so…"

"Which I do."

"Okay," I said. "Because we could always shorten it to one month…"

"We could…" he agreed. "But we shouldn't."

"Why not?" I asked.

"Well, this is already a short engagement, and people would think us quite strange if we took only _one _month to prepare the wedding."

I smiled. "Two months it is."


	16. Epilogue

**Nobody's POV:**

It was a joyful time. Everything was perfect. Their life together was just beginning, and it seemed as if nothing could go wrong.

But go wrong it did. So terribly wrong that not even death could counter. Bella thought she had it bad in _New Moon_, but that was nothing compared to the predicament Erik and Paige were involved in.

So wrong that it might not be possible for them to ever see each other again. So wrong that even when they died, they might not meet. So wrong that no amount of joy or happiness could bring them out of their lover-deprived state.

That's the kind of threat you pose, the kind of danger you face, the kind of chance you take, despite the consequences you know nothing of, when two different times collide.

**Yeah, folks, that's the end! Okay, knowing you guys, you probably want me to update. :) I know you well.**

**The sequel... I can't tell you anything! Sorry! Just that there will be a sequel, I'm a bit (okay, probably more than a bit) of a jerk for writing what will happen, and everything works out.**

**Sort of...**


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